Disclosed are novel ion-exchange and chelate-exchange resins having improved exchange kinetics for separating chemical species from liquids. The resins are prepared from copolymer beads consisting of a monovinyl aromatic monomer and a cross-linking monomer. The copolymer beads are functionalized such that weak-base exchange moieties are substituted at haloalkylated sites which are most accessible to diffusion into the beads, while hydrophilic, strong-base exchange moieties are substituted at haloalkylated sites which are least accessible to diffusion. The resins have improved exchange kinetics due to shortened diffusion path lengths for the chemical species being separated and improved diffusion into the resin beads due to the hydrophilic, strong-base exchange moieties.